Merry-go-round



Sept. 24, 1929. l 5, cm 1,729,379

MERRY-GO-ROUND Filed Sept. 20, 1928 Sept. 24, 1929. 5. J. GARCIA MERRY-GO-ROUND 2 Sheets-Shut 2 Filed Sept. 20. 1928 Patented Sept. 24, 1929 UNITED STATES SIMON J. GARCIA, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS MERRY-GO-ROUND Application filed September 20, 1928.

This invention relates to merrygo-rounds, and has for one of its objects to provide a device of this character which shall embody coaches rotatably supported from a stationary center pole, and bicycles yieldingly connected to the center pole.

A further object of the invention is to provide a merry-go-round of the character stated which shall embody a platform fixed to the center pole above the coach supporting means, an organ supported by the platform, and organ operating means carried by the platform and the coach supporting means.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a merry-go-round of the character stated which shall embody means by which an attendant on the platform may regulate the speed of the device and bring it to a stop.

The invention is hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the merry-go-round,

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on a plane extending vertically and centrally through the merrygoround,

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View illustrating the organ operating means and the means for controlling the speed of the merrygo-round and stopping the same, and

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the horizontal plane indicated by the line 44 of Figure 3.

The merry-go-round comprises a center pole 1 of sectional formation, the lower section 2 and the upper section 3 thereof being detachably connected, as shown at 4 in Fig ure 3. The lower end of the pole 1 is secured by bolts 5 in a socket 6 which is secured to the center of a circular base 7 by bolts 8. An annular track 9 which is of U-form in vertical section, surrounds the base 7, and is held against movement with respect to the base by bars 10 which are secured, at 1.1, to the base and tracks Serial No. 307,221.

An upper collar 12 and a lower collar 13 are rotatably mounted upon the pole 1, the former being supported by anti-friction balls 14 and the latter by anti-friction balls 15. The anti-friction balls 14 are carried by a bearing sleeve 16 which is secured by bolts 17 to the pole 1, and the anti-friction balls 15 are carried by the upper end of the socket 6. Horizontal arms 18 are secured at their inner ends, as at 19, to the collar 12, and are provided with angular outer ends 20 which pre sent downwardly extending vertical members 20 and outwardly extending horizontal members 20 Braces 21 extend from the collar 18 to the arms 18, braces 22 are positioned between the arms and braces, and braces 23 extendfrom the braces 21 to the arm members 20 4 a Coaches 24 designed to hold four passengers, are secured in any suitable manner to the angular ends 20 of the arms 18, the coaches resting upon the arm members 20 and against the arm members 20. The coaches 24 are provided with entrance openings 24 and steps 25. The treads 25 and risers 25 of the steps 25 are hinged together as at 25, and are held against relative move ment by folding braces 25 The steps 25 are hinged, as at 25 to the arm members 20". and are held against downward and inward movements by brackets 26 which are secured to and extend downwardly from said arm members and with which the top risers 25 of the steps contact. As the steps 25 are hinged to the arm members 20 and as their treads and risers are hinged together and connected by folding braces, the steps may be collapsed and swung into the entrance openings 24 so as to provide doors for the coaches. The steps 25 are, after being collapsed, adapted to be swung into the entrance openings 24 by means comprising drums 27 rotatably carried by the coaches 24, cables 2? connected to the drums and steps, and a handle 27 com drums, Catches it pivctaliy connected to the coaches 2 1 and engaging ratchet wheels 28 carried by the drums 27 serve in conjunction with the drums and cables 27 to secure the collapsed steps in the entrance openings 24.

Bicycles 29 which travel on the base 7, are secured to the arms 18 by couplings each of which consists of upper and lower horizontal members 30 and 31, respectively, and a ertical member 32. The coupling members 30 are secured to the arms 18 by bolts 30, the coupling members 31 aresecured to the front and rear forks oi the bicycles 29, as at 30, and the coupling members 32 which connect said other coupling members are secured to the seat posts of the bicycles by arms 30 The couplings establish a driving connection between the bicycles 29 and the arms 18, and possess suflicient elasticity to permit the bicycles to have limited radial inward and outwardmovements with respect to the pole 1 while the merry-go-round is in operation.

A motorcycle 33 which travels in the tracks 9 and constitutes the main propelling means for the merry-go-round, is connected to one of the armslS by a coupling 34tsimilar in construction to the couplings by which the bicycles 29 are connected to the arms 18.

A circular platform 37 which is located above the bars 18, is fixed at its center, as shown at 38, to the pole 1. A brake band 39 which surrounds the brake drum 40 carried by the collar 12, is secured at one end to a pin 41 carried by the platform 37, and is:

secured at its other end to a lever 42 which is pivoted, as at 13, to the platform, these parts permitting the speed 01'' the merry-goround to be cFihtro-lled by an attendant on the platform 37, and they also permit the merry-go-round to be brought to astop. Any suitable means, such as that shown at 14, may be employed to secure the lever 42 against casual movement. An organ 15 is mounted upon the platform 37, and is provided with an operating crank shaft 46. A wheel 47 journaled on the platform 37 and having a crank 18 connected to the crank shaft 16 by a link 19, and a circular track 49 secured to the arms 18 and of U-form in vertical section, provide means for operating the organ 45.

A cover or canopy 50 for the coaches 2 1, bicycles 2S) and platform 37, is supported by rods 51 secured to and extending downwardly from the upper end of the pole 1. Guy ropes 52 are also secured to the upper end of the pole 1. In addition to-being connected as at 38 to the pole 1, the platform 37 is supported from the rods 51 by hangers 53.

In practice, passengers occupy the coaches 24 and the bicycles 29,. and an attendant occupies the platform 37. A passenger or an attendant may occupy the motorcycle The merry-go-round may be operated solely from the motorcycle 33 or from the same and the bicycles 29. As the speed of the merry-go-round increases, the bicycles 29 move radially outward and as the speed decreases they move radially inward, whereby to furnish the occupants a thrilling ride.

The speed of the merry-go-round may be controlled or the merry-go-round brought to a step through the medium of the lever 4-2 which is under the control of the attendant on the platform 37. The merry-go-round is simple, durable and inexpensive, and it may be operated and maintained in a high state of efficiency at comparatively little cost.

It should be understood that the drawings are merely illustrative and do not pretend to give exact proportions. Furthermore the said drawings are illustrative of a preferred construction, it being my expectation that various changes and "modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

W hat is claimed is l. A merry-go-round comprising a center pole, a collar rotatably mounted on the pole and provided with a brake drum, arms secured to and extending radially from the collar, bicycles, means yieldingly connecting the bicycles to the arms, a motorcycle connected to one of the a ms, a stationary platform carried by the pole, a brake band connected at one end to the platform and passing about the drum, a lever pivoted to the platform and connectedjto the other end of the brake band, and means holding the lever. against casual movement.

2. A merry-go-round comprising a center pole, arms rotatably connected to and extending radially from the pole, bicycles connected to the arms, a motorcycle connected to one of the arms, a stationary platform carried by the pole, an organ carried by the platform and provided with an operating crank shaft, a wheel journaled on the plat form and provided with a crank, a link connecting the cranks, and a track carried by the arms and contacting with the wheel.

3. A mcrry-go-round' comprising a center pole, a collar rotatably mounted upon the pole, arms secured to and extending radially from the collar, passenger carrying devices associated with the arms, an operating device associated with one of the arms, a stationary platform carried by the pole, and means associated with the collar and platform for controlling the speed of the arms.

4. A merry-go-round comprising a center pole, upper and lower collars rotatably mounted upon the pole, arms secured to the upper collar and extending radially therefrom, the arms being provided with down wardly and outwardly extending outer end portions, braces extending from the arms to the lower collar, braces'extending from said first braces to said outwardly extending arm port-ions, coaches carried by said arm portions, bicycles connected to the arms, and a motorcycle connected to one of the arms.

5. A merry-go-round comprising a center pole, a coach having an entrance opening, means rotatably supporting the coach from the pole, collapsible steps for the coach, means connecting the collapsible steps to the coach to permit them When collapsed to be swung into the entrance opening, and means for swinging the collapsed steps into and securing them in the entrance opening.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

SIMON J. GARCIA. 

